Interpretive Summary: Broiler chickens are generally raised on bedding material like wood shavings or rice hulls. When this bedding material becomes mixed with chicken manure, feathers, and feed, it is called litter. Because of the increasing cost of new bedding materials, modern broiler producers are using the same litter for multiple flocks. However, extended use results in increased contamination of the litter with many microbial organisms including yeasts, molds, multiple types of viruses, and bacterial pathogens such as Salmonella, Escherichia, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas. The foodborne pathogens are of special importance for poultry producers because consumption of contaminated litter and feces by the birds can lead to infection of the intestines with Salmonella, which causes sizable problems at processing. This study was conducted to determine whether the use of LT1000™ could reduce the load of Salmonella Typhimurium in poultry manure. LT1000™ was added to sterile poultry manure. Then, a concentrated dose of Salmonella Typhimurium was added. The level of Salmonella Typhimurium was measured over nine days or until the Salmonella Typhimurium was no longer detected. In 91% of the samples tested, Salmonella Typhimurium was completely eliminated within nine days. This shows that LT1000™ has the potential to greatly improve the overall microbiological safety of used poultry litter. By doing this, we can also lessen the threat of foodborne pathogen contamination of poultry meat products.

Technical Abstract:
Poultry are normally reared on bedding materials such as wood shavings or rice hulls. Poultry litter reuse for multiple flocks has become economically important in modern broiler production. However, this practice results in the litter serving as a reservoir of numerous microbial organisms including yeasts, molds, multiple types of viruses, and bacterial pathogens, such as Salmonella, Escherichia, Campylobacter, Clostridium, Staphylococcus, and Pseudomonas. The foodborne pathogens are of particular importance for poultry producers. During the pre-harvest feed withdrawal period, consumption of contaminated litter and feces by the birds can lead to infection of the upper gastrointestinal tract with Salmonella, which presents substantial problems at processing. This study was conducted to determine whether the use of LT1000™ could reduce the load of Salmonella Typhimurium in poultry manure. LT1000™ was added to sterile poultry manure then challenged with 108 CFU/ml of Salmonella Typhimurium. The concentration of Salmonella Typhimurium was measured over nine days or until the Salmonella Typhimurium was no longer detected. In 91% of the trials, Salmonella Typhimurium was completely eliminated within nine days. This demonstrates that LT1000™ has the potential to substantially improve the overall microbiological safety of used poultry litter. The next phase of the research will combine the use of LT1000™ with in-house windrowing.